Still crossing fingers, Rockstar is coming out with GTA Vice City for Android next week, but seems Telltale still thinks it is pointless to make an Android port -_-
While I understand that there are hundreds of Android devices out there, what's the problem with that? Just set a standard and tell the people with old phones to get a better one if they want to play TWD. I have a SGS3 and I would easily be able to run this game. But it's understandable if people with the first SGS wouldn't be able to play it. That's normal, same with PC's and if they want to play it they can always upgrade or get an iPhone.
Please rethink your decision Telltale. I think a game like this is best played on a touch screen device and we are not all Apple lovers.
so, when the inevitable happens and someone/thousands of people buy it for an android model where the game doesn't/wouldn't work, telltale would have to deal with loads of backlash and either try and make it work or give refunds
Not correct, sir. When putting your apps into the Playstore, you can specify system requirements. The game won't simply show up on devices which don't fullfill them.
Actually, converting is easy. On Android games are not made per device. They are made with a minimum requirement. The particular Android device will up resolution etc based on the CPU and graphics. All Android APK's are the same. The apk developed for the S2 is the same as the Note II. The Play Store then filters based on the specific device it is loaded on.
That being said, this game can EASILY be ported for Android as Telltale just needs to develop ONE game app and set a Minimum spec to it. It is actually a lot easier then people think.
BTW my first post as I just found out about this game
Piracy has to be one major concern on Android, nearly every Android user I know pirates their apps because it so so damn easy, yes far easier than piracy on PC. One of my favourite developers Sports Interactive who make the totally awesome Football Manager series on the PC, also made a mobile version for iOS and android, the piracy rate according to them on Android was 11:1 which is insanely high
Hardly anyone pays for anything on Android, I read some article in Forbes where Android developers made 210 million dollars in all of 2011, while iOS developers pocketed 700 million dollars...in one quarter, forget the whole year, this is despite Android having a much larger share of mobile users
I thought it was spectacular playing it on the xbox (massive walking dead fan) you did an amazing job telltale it seriously deserves every goty award it has and will get. now onto the point I would like to replay it on the phone but i don't have a iphone only an Android (samsung phone) phone so any chance it'll arrive on android?
What the eff is the reason.
well online I found a couple of Telltale game's reasons
Due to Piracy?
WTF PC is the most pirated platform. anyone can do it.
Apple devices? Theres a universal tool to Jailbreak Apple devices in 1-2 clicks.
Why Not android???!??!?!?!
Hardware capability?
One post i saw is that because of hardware limitation?
please... My Nexus 7 packs quad core, 1Gb of Ram... from Iphone 5 and to Ipads nothing can out perform the best Android Phone at the moment... Note 2. S3, Nexus 7 etc...
Im pretty sure Devs who can port to XBOX, PC, PS3 can do the same thing to Android, your not noobs right?
Google Play store uses warning messages that say, "This Application is not compatible with your device" SO you can release a APP on android platform that is not Universal... Start with Samsung, Then Nexus and so on...
Cmon guys...
Or just tell us the reason why not?
Many people are wondering and hoping blindly...
Piracy has to be one major concern on Android, nearly every Android user I know pirates their apps because it so so damn easy, yes far easier than piracy on PC. One of my favourite developers Sports Interactive who make the totally awesome Football Manager series on the PC, also made a mobile version for iOS and android, the piracy rate according to them on Android was 11:1 which is insanely high
Hardly anyone pays for anything on Android, I read some article in Forbes where Android developers made 210 million dollars in all of 2011, while iOS developers pocketed 700 million dollars...in one quarter, forget the whole year, this is despite Android having a much larger share of mobile users
Piracy on all three platforms PC, ANdroid and IOS is damn easy...
You're right, Telltale shouldn't have stopped with iOS. There's plenty of untapped markets out there and Telltale should definitely branch out even further..
The Walking Dead for Virtual Boy!
Don't let down your virtual boy fans down! Porting the game to virtual boy should be a no brainer, it was released over 15 years ago!
A) too lazy to make an available on both platforms sucking on IOS teat or
C) paid to keep it as an exclusive
either way i call bullshit on the gameboy/every-other-gaming-system-out-there false equivalency. ios is to android what ps3 is to the 360. yes there are more specs to take in mind when putting it on android, but plenty of other companies have done it succesfully. if telltale cant do it, they should hire someone who can
Telltale does not develop games for Android at this time.
While April was 9 months ago, that's when Telltale's crofael posted what I believe to be the most recent (and closest to official) information on the subject:
We currently have no plans to do releases on Android. The main reason has to do with hardware. iOS devices all have a similar profile: there's an easily identifiable minimum amount of memory, CPU and GPU power that we can target from an engine standpoint.
Now think about Android. How many different Android devices from how many different manufacturers are available? In the hundreds. And for the most part, they are all extremely disparate in their hardware specifications. Between this device fragmentation and the fact that most Android devices on the market are not all that great for gaming, we'd rather focus on making our engine better on the platforms we already do support.
All that being said, I'm a programmer and so I'm not up to speed on what our sales and marketing plans are for the future, so it's entirely possible that at some point we'll start putting our games on Android. But in the meantime I'm afraid it's not in the cards.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
Additionally, allow me to merge your thread with a more comprehensive discussion on the subject.
but its probably because of what apple pays them as a developer.
its the same issue with epic games and infinity blade...there are plenty of android phones that can run that game just as good as the 4s and i5 can...but nope. forget it.
the excuse of 'well we'll get bad reviews because folks who have crap devices cant play it but will download and pay for it anyway' is bogus. you code your application properly, and it wont even show up in the playstore. you go to the playstore on the web and it will even tell you its not compatible.
let them be snobby about it even: make it only available for nexus devices. or certain gpu's. alot of top of the line android phones use similar SoC's so even that approach would still allow for millions of folks to enjoy the game!
Difficult to talk about scalability in android complete garbage, you could easily just do not let the PC with the same excuse. Make the minimum requirements, that's all. Tell it to Rockstar, I think they'll smile.
And yes, I'm ready now to pay for all of 5 or more episodes for android? Give those of us please
ps: Thank you for your creativity.
pps: Thanks for the Monkey Island separately
Ah, I am disappointed to see that no progress has been made regarding Android port...
The main thing that concerns me is the true reason behind: Why no Android port?
It is true that there are too many variations, but they can get over that with 1 simple thing: just port it to all the hot Android phones currently available.
Phones like: Xiaomi MI-2, Google Nexus 4, LG Optimus G, Sony Xperia Z, HTC One + soon available phones like Samsung Galaxy I9505 S4 and LG Optimus G Pro.
They all have:
- Adreno 320 GPU -> only need to optimize graphics for 1 GPU
- no need for lowering graphics quality, since Adreno 320 is as powerfull as the PowerVR SGX 543MP3, so they can go with the graphics they enabled for Iphone 5
- 1 GB or more RAM -> don't need to worry about not enough memory
- screen resolution of 720x1280 or 1080x1920 -> only need to optimize for 2 resolution
This seems quite simple, so WHY?! Why don't they want my money?
The phones mentioned above are owned by 1.000.000+ Android users and I bet there are many Walking Dead fans amongst them, so it would not be a bad financial decision...but still, WHY they did not think of this yet?!
My bet is:
- Telltale Games sold their soul to Apple
OR
- Telltale Games is run by monkeys who escaped from the zoo
They all have:
- Adreno 320 GPU -> only need to optimize graphics for 1 GPU
- no need for lowering graphics quality, since Adreno 320 is as powerfull as the PowerVR SGX 543MP3, so they can go with the graphics they enabled for Iphone 5
- 1 GB or more RAM -> don't need to worry about not enough memory
- screen resolution of 720x1280 or 1080x1920 -> only need to optimize for 2 resolution
This seems quite simple, so WHY?! Why don't they want my money?
The phones mentioned above are owned by 1.000.000+ Android users and I bet there are many Walking Dead fans amongst them, so it would not be a bad financial decision...but still, WHY they did not think of this yet?!
Galaxy S4 and HTC One would number over 10 million users alone and that numbers going to grow massively over the next year, they're missing out.
They could work on making it compatible to certain phones. I have a Droid Incredible 2 and there are apps not compatible with my phones. Developers make certain restrictions on the app and google store enforces it. While there is hope to get the app to be played in all OS versions, it isn't. This is the same in the Apple.
Keep in mind, where the mainstream developers fail to deliver, a talented programmer may emulate and provide access across all platforms. At least history has proven this direction. I personally do not condone this path and would rather pay TTG, the games will go this path...I hope TTG has been paying attention.
This is most likely a decision based on their contract or agreement with Apple Inc. not allowing them to port their software. This is very common practice within the strict agreements that are written with Apple..
We all know there is a much larger market share within Android and Apple is loosing ground (and will continue to do so) in the mobile gaming platform. Once more hardware mfg's make gaming specific android devices(nexus lines), they will realize the poor decision of entering this contract with Apple.
i once asked this very same question on these forums and got the answer that porting to android isnt as easy as iOS as there are multiple android devices which operate on different versions of android, and each have different specs. so unlike with the standardised iPad/iPhone, porting to android would not be a straight forward task, and if they started porting to the higher end android tablets, those with lower end ones would get all pissy about it and demand it got ported to there specifications. And for a time/reward point of view, porting to a very small number of android tablets would probably not be as fiscally rewarding as iOS.
TL DR: Quit ya bitchin'
These problems aren't as big as one might think. A game is usually written in c for portability, and in that case the code will run more or less directly on any phone, tablet or pc (Apples as well). What they then need is all the surrounding things. I assume that they already have some code that checks the specs of the computer and sets the graphical effects to accomodate it, so that code needs to be rewritten for android - that takes care of different makers and hardware (more or less, but they can simply state in the manifest for the android-project that it needs at least some hardware-set, and people with older phones/tablets will not see the game in the play store). Then they need what is called a wrapper, which I take it they already made for IOS. The wrapper runs 'above' the C code and translates your input on the screen into a format the game understands. For Android you can download the SDK that reads Java, or the NDK that reads straight C. The problem must be either 1. time/effort not worth it compared to other projects or 2. They have a specific problem with the code that I don't know about
TL;DR: Games are written in C which runs on pretyy much all machines. They just need to write the interface-adapters.
Its all great saying its more powerful than particular iPhones....... But if they are not optimised you never get the best from your device.... Thats the issue!
Saying the wide range of hardware is a problem makes no sense when the Play Store lets the developer mark which devices are and are not compatible.
Even developing only for Tegra would be something. Many of the other graphics-intensive games on Android are Tegra-only, or require a similarly powerful processor.
There's this new Android Console now called Ouya. This could be a standartized platform. But I highly doubt Telltale Games is honest about this topic. Since I see no logic in this fragmentation claim. Know why? They released on PC and PC is the most fragmented system in our whole world! So if they release there with minimum specs and it works, there is zero reason it wouldn't on android. Other people like Rockstar Games did a port of GTA Vice City and it runs nicely. Shadowgun or Dead Trigger works nice too. Both graphical bombs.
So their claim must be false and I wonder why they still don't tell the truth behind why they do not want to release it for android... If they had a special contract with apple they could tell us. But lies (false flag claims) can be defaced, just as I did logically now with my posting. Since it would make zero sense to not port to android and miss many millions of sales, there has to be a special contract with apple I think. No other logical way would point out why they do not take the another big market and earn the extra money.
And it's a shame that we have to beg for it...
I would use every market I could get, if this was my company and I think any profit oriented company would do the same.
Valve ported steam to linux and for android devices now too. We can play some games on linux allready. Ignoring linux after it got so big just makes no sense! Go with time Telltale Games...
OpenGL(ES) becomes the future and brings more freedom.
It's nice to have a free open source linux alternative instead of microsoft's or apple's proprietary locked and limited (usability) systems. But still so many millions buy apple and jailbreak, because they want more control and rights, instead of picking an open and free system directly...
If Telltale Games doesn't care about their customers demands, so be it. No buck from me then. Sad as it is, since their game was good.
I will definitively buy an Ouya which is nice at saving power and quiet while being usable at beamer or TV and I will only buy games available for it (android). No single cent for software/games requiring proprietary operating systems from me.
Comments
so why not Android?
It's already out on iOS and I think they have no plans for android.
And the pirates rejoiced, for they have finally known something that others did not.
Please rethink your decision Telltale. I think a game like this is best played on a touch screen device and we are not all Apple lovers.
Not correct, sir. When putting your apps into the Playstore, you can specify system requirements. The game won't simply show up on devices which don't fullfill them.
That being said, this game can EASILY be ported for Android as Telltale just needs to develop ONE game app and set a Minimum spec to it. It is actually a lot easier then people think.
BTW my first post as I just found out about this game
Hardly anyone pays for anything on Android, I read some article in Forbes where Android developers made 210 million dollars in all of 2011, while iOS developers pocketed 700 million dollars...in one quarter, forget the whole year, this is despite Android having a much larger share of mobile users
I personally would like to see it on Android. I've purchased it for PC, and my PS3 and I would from Google Play Store if possible.
well online I found a couple of Telltale game's reasons
Due to Piracy?
WTF PC is the most pirated platform. anyone can do it.
Apple devices? Theres a universal tool to Jailbreak Apple devices in 1-2 clicks.
Why Not android???!??!?!?!
Hardware capability?
One post i saw is that because of hardware limitation?
please... My Nexus 7 packs quad core, 1Gb of Ram... from Iphone 5 and to Ipads nothing can out perform the best Android Phone at the moment... Note 2. S3, Nexus 7 etc...
Im pretty sure Devs who can port to XBOX, PC, PS3 can do the same thing to Android, your not noobs right?
Google Play store uses warning messages that say, "This Application is not compatible with your device" SO you can release a APP on android platform that is not Universal... Start with Samsung, Then Nexus and so on...
Cmon guys...
Or just tell us the reason why not?
Many people are wondering and hoping blindly...
Could y'all search for similar threads before opening a new one?
Thanks!
Now, I am less confused lol.
Piracy on all three platforms PC, ANdroid and IOS is damn easy...
Pretty please!!!!
The Walking Dead for Virtual Boy!
Don't let down your virtual boy fans down! Porting the game to virtual boy should be a no brainer, it was released over 15 years ago!
A) too lazy to make an available on both platforms
C) paid to keep it as an exclusive
either way i call bullshit on the gameboy/every-other-gaming-system-out-there false equivalency. ios is to android what ps3 is to the 360. yes there are more specs to take in mind when putting it on android, but plenty of other companies have done it succesfully. if telltale cant do it, they should hire someone who can
I want The Walking Dead, Sam & Max and all that good stuff on Android as much as you do. I love TTG and want to have their collective children.
I run a video games developer and would volunteer to do the port to Android myself!
So, how about it Telltale? Please pester them so they will take me on to do the job, it'll be great!
Cheers,
Neil Millstone
White Bat Games
http://www.whitebat.co.uk
Thanks
While April was 9 months ago, that's when Telltale's crofael posted what I believe to be the most recent (and closest to official) information on the subject:
Additionally, allow me to merge your thread with a more comprehensive discussion on the subject.
its the same issue with epic games and infinity blade...there are plenty of android phones that can run that game just as good as the 4s and i5 can...but nope. forget it.
the excuse of 'well we'll get bad reviews because folks who have crap devices cant play it but will download and pay for it anyway' is bogus. you code your application properly, and it wont even show up in the playstore. you go to the playstore on the web and it will even tell you its not compatible.
let them be snobby about it even: make it only available for nexus devices. or certain gpu's. alot of top of the line android phones use similar SoC's so even that approach would still allow for millions of folks to enjoy the game!
c'mon telltale. you can TOTALLY do this.
money in hand.
Difficult to talk about scalability in android complete garbage, you could easily just do not let the PC with the same excuse. Make the minimum requirements, that's all. Tell it to Rockstar, I think they'll smile.
And yes, I'm ready now to pay for all of 5 or more episodes for android? Give those of us please
ps: Thank you for your creativity.
pps: Thanks for the Monkey Island separately
The main thing that concerns me is the true reason behind: Why no Android port?
It is true that there are too many variations, but they can get over that with 1 simple thing: just port it to all the hot Android phones currently available.
Phones like: Xiaomi MI-2, Google Nexus 4, LG Optimus G, Sony Xperia Z, HTC One + soon available phones like Samsung Galaxy I9505 S4 and LG Optimus G Pro.
They all have:
- Adreno 320 GPU -> only need to optimize graphics for 1 GPU
- no need for lowering graphics quality, since Adreno 320 is as powerfull as the PowerVR SGX 543MP3, so they can go with the graphics they enabled for Iphone 5
- 1 GB or more RAM -> don't need to worry about not enough memory
- screen resolution of 720x1280 or 1080x1920 -> only need to optimize for 2 resolution
This seems quite simple, so WHY?! Why don't they want my money?
The phones mentioned above are owned by 1.000.000+ Android users and I bet there are many Walking Dead fans amongst them, so it would not be a bad financial decision...but still, WHY they did not think of this yet?!
My bet is:
- Telltale Games sold their soul to Apple
OR
- Telltale Games is run by monkeys who escaped from the zoo
Galaxy S4 and HTC One would number over 10 million users alone and that numbers going to grow massively over the next year, they're missing out.
They should just port it to Samsung Galaxy 4.
We all know there is a much larger market share within Android and Apple is loosing ground (and will continue to do so) in the mobile gaming platform. Once more hardware mfg's make gaming specific android devices(nexus lines), they will realize the poor decision of entering this contract with Apple.
These problems aren't as big as one might think. A game is usually written in c for portability, and in that case the code will run more or less directly on any phone, tablet or pc (Apples as well). What they then need is all the surrounding things. I assume that they already have some code that checks the specs of the computer and sets the graphical effects to accomodate it, so that code needs to be rewritten for android - that takes care of different makers and hardware (more or less, but they can simply state in the manifest for the android-project that it needs at least some hardware-set, and people with older phones/tablets will not see the game in the play store). Then they need what is called a wrapper, which I take it they already made for IOS. The wrapper runs 'above' the C code and translates your input on the screen into a format the game understands. For Android you can download the SDK that reads Java, or the NDK that reads straight C. The problem must be either 1. time/effort not worth it compared to other projects or 2. They have a specific problem with the code that I don't know about
TL;DR: Games are written in C which runs on pretyy much all machines. They just need to write the interface-adapters.
Even developing only for Tegra would be something. Many of the other graphics-intensive games on Android are Tegra-only, or require a similarly powerful processor.
So their claim must be false and I wonder why they still don't tell the truth behind why they do not want to release it for android... If they had a special contract with apple they could tell us. But lies (false flag claims) can be defaced, just as I did logically now with my posting. Since it would make zero sense to not port to android and miss many millions of sales, there has to be a special contract with apple I think. No other logical way would point out why they do not take the another big market and earn the extra money.
And it's a shame that we have to beg for it...
I would use every market I could get, if this was my company and I think any profit oriented company would do the same.
Valve ported steam to linux and for android devices now too. We can play some games on linux allready. Ignoring linux after it got so big just makes no sense! Go with time Telltale Games...
OpenGL(ES) becomes the future and brings more freedom.
It's nice to have a free open source linux alternative instead of microsoft's or apple's proprietary locked and limited (usability) systems. But still so many millions buy apple and jailbreak, because they want more control and rights, instead of picking an open and free system directly...
If Telltale Games doesn't care about their customers demands, so be it. No buck from me then. Sad as it is, since their game was good.
I will definitively buy an Ouya which is nice at saving power and quiet while being usable at beamer or TV and I will only buy games available for it (android). No single cent for software/games requiring proprietary operating systems from me.
That's it. My two cents.
Have a nice day :-)